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  #16  
Old 09-06-2017, 11:22 AM
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Very attractive work and choice materials, major impressive...!
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  #17  
Old 09-06-2017, 02:39 PM
CE Sobel CE Sobel is offline
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Originally Posted by ChuckS View Post
Thanks for doing this build thread. Your guitars are looking really nice.

Since you are a classical guitar builder as well as a steel string guitar builder, I was wondering if there is some commonality in their tone. For example, I have a steel string guitar built by Alan Carruth, who started building classical guitars before he built steel string and currently builds both. I feel that my steel string guitar's tone has significant influence/commonality to that of classical guitars.
That's cool that you have one of Al's guitars. I've interacted with him over on the Delcamp forum as well as by email and he's a treasure trove of knowledge! Some of the tuning methods I use came right from him. I think there is definitely a lot of commonality between the sounds--especially if you're in the classical mentality which emphasizes building lightly. Nylon strings are really unforgiving of overbuilding. The other thing that is particularly important for me at least is getting a good tone color range from playing back near the bridge and then up towards the 12th fret with the right hand. This modulation is used a lot in classical repertoire. The design pictured here has de emphasized to a certain extent the cross grain stiffness of the top, which would be higher if the fan braces were substituted with normal finger or face braces. The intent of this is to lower in pitch the cross dipole mode of top vibration which I think in turn makes the tone color response better. Another cross over is that large portions of the x braces have openings in them, which helps give a more open sound and overall better bass with smaller guitars. There are some differences though in the sense that the construction of the contemporary classical guitar has to lend itself to good trebles, because nylon is inherently meh in the trebles. Steel strings are much better naturally in the trebles, not just because of the material but also the greater tension.

Sorry if this doesn't answer your question... I kind of went off on some tangents.
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  #18  
Old 09-06-2017, 02:40 PM
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They call them "working dogs" for a reason ... lol. I have some experience working with service dogs, amazing animals, you are fortunate to have found each other. They really are life altering companions!

Lovely rosettes, please keep posting.
Thank you very much! I'll be sure to post some more shop dog pics as well...
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  #19  
Old 09-06-2017, 04:33 PM
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The redwood comes out of a mineshaft in northern California. Apparently the beams were pulled out and replaced with proper concrete supports a few years back. I was fortunate enough to get a couple beams. It must be about 90 years old or so, and has an incredible tap tone like Brazilian RW. There's a pic of another set as well...
I love recycling old materials, especially if they have an interesting origin. Being an ex miner myself makes this all the more magical. Some very nice woods but the dog takes the biscuit
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  #20  
Old 09-06-2017, 07:43 PM
dbintegrity dbintegrity is offline
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Welcome to the forum Chris !!
Those guitars look beautiful... I look forward to watching the builds as well !
Dan
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  #21  
Old 09-06-2017, 11:06 PM
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Here are some pictures of the tuning machines. They're handmade by Klaus Scheller in Germany and I think they are some of the most well made and smooth turning tuners on the market... although I'm sure I haven't seen them all! The lighter one has snakewood buttons and the dark one is polished black horn.
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File Type: jpg IMG_2301.jpg (73.3 KB, 309 views)
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  #22  
Old 09-07-2017, 10:31 AM
Jamiejoon Jamiejoon is offline
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Hi Chris, love what you're doing. The redwood, cocobolo and amboyna are gorgeous, the design is very nice, and how lucky you are to have Jeff Elliott as your mentor. I think you are going to do great things.
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  #23  
Old 09-07-2017, 01:27 PM
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Awesome Chris. Really interesting thread with lots of curious and new (to me) things. That Blackwood center lower bout, all the way thru for string anchor is quite unique. Hope you delve into that a little more.

Your rosettes are gorgeous. And the fact that both will be French polish is really nice. I'll be following.
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  #24  
Old 09-08-2017, 01:34 AM
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Originally Posted by cigarfan View Post
Awesome Chris. Really interesting thread with lots of curious and new (to me) things. That Blackwood center lower bout, all the way thru for string anchor is quite unique. Hope you delve into that a little more.

Your rosettes are gorgeous. And the fact that both will be French polish is really nice. I'll be following.
Thanks cigarfan, I appreciate the kind words. I'll post some detail pics of making the bridge and how the whole apparatus works in a couple weeks. Basically 2mm piano wire extends from just over top the bridge to down through the bridge patch in the blackwood. The strings hook onto the piano wire which sits at a 10 degree angle so they don't slip off. It looks cool and eliminates the pins altogether which makes changing strings really fast. It also makes the whole bridge a more cohesive unit which I like.
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  #25  
Old 09-08-2017, 05:20 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckS View Post
Thanks for doing this build thread. Your guitars are looking really nice.

Since you are a classical guitar builder as well as a steel string guitar builder, I was wondering if there is some commonality in their tone. For example, I have a steel string guitar built by Alan Carruth, who started building classical guitars before he built steel string and currently builds both. I feel that my steel string guitar's tone has significant influence/commonality to that of classical guitars.
Hey Chris I was going to ask something similar but you've answered Chuck already. Continuing that theme though, how do you approach the neck and the fretboard on your steel strings - any classical influences? I have a steel string guitar made by classical guitar builder Ron Pinkham from Maine. He builds light guitars and french polishes as you seem to do, and his steel string fretboards feel a little flatter than my other steel strings.

Col
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  #26  
Old 09-09-2017, 12:19 AM
CE Sobel CE Sobel is offline
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Originally Posted by colins View Post
Hey Chris I was going to ask something similar but you've answered Chuck already. Continuing that theme though, how do you approach the neck and the fretboard on your steel strings - any classical influences? I have a steel string guitar made by classical guitar builder Ron Pinkham from Maine. He builds light guitars and french polishes as you seem to do, and his steel string fretboards feel a little flatter than my other steel strings.

Col
Hi Colins,

I think it's understandable that a classical guitar builder would tend to build a flatter fretboard since the tradition in that world is to build flat without a radius. I haven't developed a standard yet for my steel strings but in the case of these commissions I'm just building to the player desires and found out what neck shape and radius they were used to playing with. In both cases I'll be doing a 16" radius. I usually do a hybrid D/C for the neck shape. Thanks for taking a look!

Best,

Chris
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  #27  
Old 09-12-2017, 12:17 AM
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Now to play catch up on the Redwood... this top takes a long time to brace but here are a few pictures early on!
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File Type: jpg IMG_2396.jpg (44.7 KB, 195 views)
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  #28  
Old 09-12-2017, 12:21 AM
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Upper harmonic bars have been installed and the opening for the blackwood insert has been routed. I use a routing template that I made just for this purpose.
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  #29  
Old 09-12-2017, 09:21 AM
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Smile Very interesting indeed

I, too am smitten by the spalted rosettes! Man are they looking fine!!! Your service dog is a beauty too...

Please keep the pics and info coming. Thanks for sharing with us all.

Cheers

Pau
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  #30  
Old 09-12-2017, 11:19 AM
Mr Fingers Mr Fingers is offline
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Nothing to add but thanks! We see so many super-complicated, bling-y builds that it's a real pleasure to see guitars like yours that are extraordinarily detailed but in a non-ostentatious, organic and unified way. Personally, I like every one of your choices very much -- including the use of French Polish, which in my experience is the most musical and most beautiful finish. Wonderful, inspiring work!
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